Germany make it eight Women's U17 EURO titles in Sarajevo

The 2019/20 UEFA European Women's Under-17 Championship was abandoned and the following edition was cancelled altogether due to the COVID-19 pandemic but it was back in 2021/22 with a revamped format, first-time finals hosts and familiar winners.

To increase the number and competitiveness of games each team played, qualifying was reformatted into a two-round two-league system with promotion and relegation and all teams competing in both stages, including the final tournament hosts despite their automatic place in their home event. For 2021/22 that was Bosnia and Herzegovina, staging their first UEFA final tournament and competing for the first time in any UEFA women's final tournament.

They were to lose all three of their games in a tough Group A won with maximum points by holders Germany, victors in the last completed event in 2019. Second place in the group went to 2019 runners-up Netherlands, who held Denmark 1-1 on the final day to pip them on goal difference.

Spain, winners in four of the five editions where Germany did not triumph, topped Group B, also with nine points, having qualified with a game to spare alongside France and ahead of Finland and Norway. Having won 4-0, 4-0 and 3-0 in the group stage, Spain picked up another 3-0 success in the semi-finals to cruise past the Netherlands.

Earlier, Germany had eked out a 1-0 win against France in hot conditions in Zenica. France did return to Zenica for the consolation of a 2-0 win against the Netherlands and a spot in the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in India along with Germany and Spain.

That latter pair had a Sarajevo decider to play, the sixth time they had met in the 13 finals. Spain had won the last, 2-0 in 2017/18, but Germany the rest, including on penalties in 2013/14, 2015/16 and 2016/17.

This time Germany struck early through an excellent Svea Stoldt goal but before the half-hour Spain levelled with a header by Marina Artero, the record 11th player from her squad (out of 18 outfielders) to score in the finals. Spain seemed to be taking control and Atero set up substitute Carla Camacho to head them in front on 63 minutes.

But just two minutes remained when Mara Alber let fly to equalise, her third goal of the finals taking her level with Camacho, the Netherlands' Fieke Kroese and Denmark's Alma Aagaard. In the shoot-out, Germany's towering goalkeeper Eve Boettcher was the key figure, saving three of Spain's efforts as her side won 3-2 to make it eight titles from the 13 editions.